Waste lead paste for high-capacity lead–lithium aqueous batteries: A new method to recover waste lead paste

A new energy-saving and environmentally friendly method has been found for recycling waste lead paste and producing lead–lithium aqueous batteries of a new kind. The method can conserve resources and avoid environmental pollution by waste lead paste. Waste lead paste can be used directly as an anode material to produce lead–lithium ion batteries. Similar batteries have been fabricated using LiCoO 2 as a cathode material and 1 M Li 2 SO 4 aqueous solution as an electrolyte. The batteries have much higher initial discharge capacity (148.9 mAh g −1 at a current rate of 50 mA g −1 ) than the actual capacity of lead acid batteries (53–71 mAh g −1 ). The discharge capacity remains stable from the tenth cycle (59.3 mAh g −1 ) to the 100th cycle (62.7 mAh g −1 ) at a current rate of 100 mA g −1 . Moreover, the battery production conserves 50 wt% lead and uses no highly concentrated H 2 SO 4 , in contrast to lead–acid batteries. It uses no organic solvents, in contrast to traditional organic solvents lithium-ion batteries. The developed batteries, which can avoid corrosion of equipment, are safer than traditional organic solvents lithium-ion batteries and are more environmentally friendly than lead–acid batteries. To study the mechanisms causing rapid capacity decay during the first ten cycles, Mülliken population is calculated. After H + ions in 1 M Li 2 SO 4 aqueous electrolyte solution are transported into the oxygen 2p orbital of a LiCoO 2 cathode, they form OH covalent bonds, which decrease the cathode capacity. Waste lead paste for high-capacity lead-lithium aqueous batteries: A new method to recover waste lead paste. • Waste lead paste was used as anode material directly to fabricate lead-lithium ion batteries. • This kind of lead-lithium ion battery shows a much higher capacity than the actual capacity of lead-acid batteries. • This is an energy-saving and environmentally friendly method for recycling waste lead paste.